Beware of toxic chemicals: shisha effects explained

Do you know anything about shisha effects? Well, now published in the journal Circulation, researchers have discovered smokers are inhaling toxic chemicals that may harm the heart.

According to a new scientific statement published in the American Heart Association‘s journal Circulation, smoking tobacco in waterpipes, commonly known in the UK as shisha pipes, results in inhaling toxic chemicals. And such chemicals are often at levels exceeding cigarette smoke, all of which may harm the heart and blood vessels.

Shisha effects and toxic chemicals

Waterpipes go by many names: hookah, narghile, argileh, shisha and goza – and usually consist of a head or bowl that holds tobacco, a body, water base and hose that ends with a mouthpiece. Burning charcoal is placed on top of the tobacco-filled bowl. shisha tobacco is usually a combination of dried fruit, flavoured tobacco and substances to keep the tobacco moist.

During a shisha smoking session that typically last for 30 or more minutes, users inhale many litres of smoke filled with large quantities of particulate matter at higher concentrations than cigarettes.

Although direct comparisons between shisha and cigarettes have some limitations, a single session of shisha use typically results in greater exposure to carbon monoxide than a single cigarette.

Even short-term exposure to carbon monoxide in shisha is toxic and can interfere with exercise capacity, according to the statement authors.